{Chapter 5: The substitution}

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“Yunnie… w-what are you doing here?” I asked the man before me nervously, who suddenly showed up at my campus cafeteria, grabbing all the attention to halt at him.

I should say that a lot of women out there would fall head over heel with just a glance over him. But, I bet nobody could put up with his possessive and obsessive demeanors, or should I add pushy?

This person always does things that his own way. I always thought I could put up with him, but right now it seemed hard to do so.

He was seating with shoulders high up while his back leaned in the wooden chair, in an almighty posture like he always be. It was not that bad if most of people here didn’t staring at him with such a fawning face; mostly female students and lecturers, and I could catch some of them with filthy looks. I could felt my palms sweating, like I was being stared too. I can’t even finish my food with so many eyes were burning in our direction.

 “What, can’t I come here?” Yunho asked with a stoic face, one of his long legs rested on the other and arms crossed over his broad chest.

I bit my bottom lips, eyes avoiding his current gaze that could melt me away if I look at him back. People would say I have a cold, stiff face, but nobody knows what I felt inside at the moment. This man before me had always easily made my inside felt havoc and heart racing, which sometimes I felt totally lame. I tried to remain my composure.

“It’s not like that…” I forced out a word in a low voice.

“Then, like what..?” He leaned closer to me while imitating my low voice, his face just an inch apart from mine. My hands instantly rose up, pushing his shoulders away gently to put a bit gap between us.

“Yunnie, all people are watching you.”

“No, they’re watching us. Let them be.” He said without looking anywhere else, but me.

“Not, it’s you...” I retorted.

He frowned before tear his eyes off me to look around. “Well, not like I can help it…nor I care.” He said shortly and turned back to me.

I was speechless for a moment. He just had a couldn’t-careless face.

“Okay…okay.” Finally, he sighed and held up his hands in submission, as he could read my current uncomfortable look.

“I know you hate to be under attention, but Boo… I got no chance to have my lunch with you since you’re living in dorm. I really don’t get it why you’re still refusing to come home. Do you really love to stay far from me?” He said with using a tone that made my heart felt giddy; a whiny tone from a handsome, manly looked man. Sometimes I felt lucky, as I was the only one who knew and ever saw this side of him. That made me felt overwhelmingly special to him.

“The living fee is already paid until the end of this semester. So, it’s better to stay here until then.” I reasoned.

“Geez…you with your economy-minded. No wonder you’re studying economics.” He said with a tone of sulking, but face still looked frigid.

I bit my bottom lips, feeling funny at his expression. “Hmm… just two weeks more. I’ll have my summer break sooner. Then, I’ll be home.”

“That’s like two years for me, Boo.” He said with unchanged face. Then his eyes flicked up at someone behind me before he looked disturbed.

Feeling curious, I tuned over my shoulder and saw Changmin was walking toward our table with a wide, beaming face.

“So, this is the guy…” 

I heard Yunho mumbled under his breath. I turned back at him. Did his real intention of coming here actually is to check on me? His words just now had enough to show that he seemed know something about Changmin. I knew it was impossible to not have anyone near me being investigated by this man.

“He’s my friend…the one-”

“The one I overheard his voice through the last phone call, right?” I was cut short as he continued my word.

“Yes.” I dropped my look. Suddenly, the atmosphere around me swiftly turned chill.

“Hye, sorry for keep you waiting. Here your orange juice, sweetheart.” Changmin approached our table and placed two glasses of orange juice that I always had during lunch break.

I glanced up to see Yunho’s expression nervously. He looked like in the verge of mowing my friend down in any seconds.

“Seem you’ve a company today.” Changmin’s eyes shifted to Yunho, and he extended his right hand to him. “Hye, I’m Changmin. You’re...Jung Yunho, am I right? Jaejoong had told me about you.”

I could feel my heart thumping slightly as waiting for Yunho’s response to the greeting. I hoped his mood wasn’t spoil. Yunho glanced at me, I could catch his almond-shaped eyes twitching before an impish grin sharpens his features.

“Oh, you’ve heard about me from Jaejoong? I wonder what he told you.” He shook Changmin’s outstretched hand.

I felt like I was being trapped this time once that question out of Yunho’s mouth. But at least I’m glad he replied Changmin’s handshake.

Changmin who seemed didn’t get the meaning behind that look just blurted out, “He told me that you’re his guardian. Nothing else was said. You know, he’s so quiet and aloof. It’s hard to approach him, let alone to dig his personal secret.” Changmin chuckled.

Yunho smirked and nodded. “I guess you need to get in the line for that.”

“That’s true! Well, nice to meet you Yunho-ssi. I hope I can join you guys, but I’ve to go back to kitchen since today seems weirdly packed. So, excuse me.” Changmin excused himself and walked back to the kitchen. Usually, he would stay with me until I finish eating.

“I’m just your guardian. So, that’s your answer to him?” Yunho arched his brow. His eyes were back at me. I could felt my blood run cold.

“Are you…mad?” I asked worriedly, just to be sure. I didn’t want to spoil his mood when we’d barely meet each other.

“I just wonder…so, let me asking you one thing, Boo. Not Changmin or anyone else asks, but me.” He said with eyes intently locked mine. I looked at him curiously.

“What am I to you?” He continued in a composed look. “No matter how much time has passed, am I still just a man who give you a shelter? Now, answer me.”

I was deadlocked. Why he needs to ask this question? And how can I answer him? I just didn’t have the ability to boldly say that ‘You’re more than everything to me, and I love you more than you ever loved’. When every time it came to this, I’d lost the ability to force my voice out, my tongue seemed lost its function.

I tried to open my mouth to say something, at least, but what came out was something different and so stupid. “I…I…n-need to go to washroom.”

I was really the worst! I really hated this part of me which didn’t know how to express my feelings properly. Why can’t I just spit the things out from my heart shamelessly?

As soon I reached the washroom, I locked myself in the toilet stall and sat on the lit, trying to compose myself without anyone around. My mind wondered nothing, but feeling pathetic and stupid at the point my eyes started pooling with disappointed tears.

I thought I must have been locking myself a quite long, as I heard someone footsteps walked in and approached my stall.

“Boo, are you in there?” I jumped at the light knock on the door, but yet felt relieved once that familiar voice was heard.

“I know you’re in there, so listen. Don’t stress out yourself about what I’ve asked you previously. Forget it. I should have known that you’re not good at words. So, please come out now.” Yunho said behind the door. His words just made the tears that pooling my eyes became impossible from not spilling over my cheeks. What I’ve done in the previous life that makes me deserve this guy? He was just too good to me. He knew me well even I was a person of few words.

I wiped my tears quickly and certain myself for seconds before I opened the door; revealing Yunho’s handsome face that was now smiling, seemingly he had caught my guilty look.

“You’re so funny, Boo.” He chuckled. “I just asked and pushed you to say something mushy, and you had run away and hide in toilet.”

For a moment, I confused. Did he just teasing me? Or…did he really meant by what he asked me previously? But I knew he meant it. Probably, he just wanted to make me feel better. Since I’d barely or could consider never express my love verbally toward him. The last time I said ‘I love you’, it was not that vivid. I’d always found myself stuttering and Yunho would be the one continued what I wanted to say.

Suddenly, Yunho grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him. I stumbled against his chest and still in startled as he tilted my face, capturing my lips with his. My eyes widened.

He cradled my face in his hands as he moved his mouth over mine, giving me a long, languid lingering kiss. That was enough to make my head felt dizzy and my heart’s rate accelerating.

After he satisfied of having his way, he parted our lips, his eyes studied my face. “Damn it. You’re so adorable with that struggling look when you’re into thinking.”

I stared at him blankly, but I couldn’t help the blood under my cheeks from igniting. Had my face shows a glint of expression just now? I wondered.

“Let’s go. I barely can hold myself if I’m alone with you here any longer. Well, if I want to do you, it’s not in this kind of place and not now.” Yunho pulled me out of the washroom. With my hand still in his, he led me out of the building and walked straight to the campus parking area.

“I think I should go now. You still got class after this right?”

I nodded and felt disappointed as he released my hand. Each time he needs to leave, I would felt this sudden heavy gloomy evolving me. That was the reason why I rather for him not to come until we really have a real time to spend together.

As he could read my mind, he advanced a step back to me.

“Boo, I hope you prepare yourself for the next two weeks. I will make sure you won’t go anywhere, even a step away from me.” He flashed a ghost smile that always made my breath hitched in my throat momentarily. He caressed my cheek gently as his eyes studied my look, delaying his move before he gets into the car; seemingly the gesture was replacing a goodbye kiss as he couldn’t kiss me when we were in an open area. There were still several eyes that busy undressing Yun